


Zoo

by Severina



Series: Alphabet Soup [26]
Category: Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Genre: Community: 1_million_words, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 16:43:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5593483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severina/pseuds/Severina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt had seen John's eyes dart between the quickly disappearing goons and the lion's compound, and the giant neon SHORT CUT might as well have been emblazoned on John's forehead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Zoo

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ's 1_million_words community for the prompt "Z" at the A to Z challenge
> 
> * * *

"You know, John, I figured that when you retired we'd sort of stop getting involved in these kind of shenanigans."

"Shenanigans?"

"Shenanigans," Matt repeated firmly. "Hijinks, antics, madcap capers."

"I know what the word means, kid."

"Yeah," Matt said, "I also thought that once I hit the big 3-0 and started toppling down the rapid decline into middle age you might stop calling me 'kid'." 

John cocked a brow at him consideringly. "You don't know me very well."

Matt shook his head and adjusted his position on the wooden roof. The crowds had scattered once the shooting started, screaming children scooped up by panicked parents and darting for the exits and the bad guys making for a winding path between the animal enclosures. Matt had seen John's eyes dart between the quickly disappearing goons and the lion's compound, and the giant neon SHORT CUT might as well have been emblazoned on John's forehead. He was leaping for the fence only a split second after his husband. Because he really does know John McClane just that well.

Of course, neither of them expected that the zoo would have a failsafe – it was practically Jurassic World in here – or that they'd be trapped atop a narrow wooden cabin inside a fenced in compound with half a dozen very agitated lions pacing below. Or that occasionally one of the more confident and agile of the bunch would make a run for the top of the shelter and give them both minor heart attacks.

At least he'd managed to shoot off a text to Kowalski before he slipped on the mesh and dropped his phone back into the enclosure. Where one of the lionesses promptly _ate it_. 

Shit like this never happened in _Dragon Quest_.

The lion's ears pricked up when he started to laugh, but John just gave him that slow motion swivel of the neck that made him laugh even harder. 

"Was just thinking," he finally said, "how different my life would have been if I'd let you walk away that day in the hospital."

"Pretty fucking amazing kiss. Didn't know you had it in ya, kid," John said, turning away. To anybody else it would seem like he was scanning over the surrounding buildings for any signs of the boys in blue, looking past small frightened groups huddled together against the souvenir shops and snack bars for the cavalry to come charging over the hill. But again, Matt knew better. He practically _wrote_ the Deciphering John McClane Manual, after all. 

And after a long moment—

"Regret it?" John asked.

Matt smiled and made his way precariously to where John sat, still refusing to look at him; crouched behind him and wrapped his arms around John's stomach. "Not for a second," he said. The back of John's neck was salty with sweat when he pressed his lips there, and he let himself linger before finally pulling back a few scant inches. "Not even a millisecond. A microsecond. I would say not even for a nanosec—"

"I get it, Matty."

The tone was gruff, but the stiffness in John's spine slowly eased. Matt dropped his chin to John's shoulder and snuggled in a little closer. "John?"

"Hmm?" 

"Next weekend, let's just go to a museum or something."

"Got two words for ya, Matt," John said. "Art thieves."

"Shit." Matt released his hold and sat back on his haunches, shuffled back a little on the wooden slats so that John could turn to face him. "Maybe we should just spend the weekend in bed."

John's eyes lit up as he closed the distance between them. "Now you're talkin', kid," he murmured just before their lips met. Matt draped an arm around his waist to pull him in a little tighter, and didn't even flinch – well, barely – when one of the lions below let out a yowl at the display. 

Matt sighed when they finally pulled apart. "Maybe you'll stop calling me 'kid' when I'm forty?" 

John smirked. "You don't know me very well."


End file.
